The Rivers State Executive Council (EXCO) has approved a proposed N1.854 trillion budget for the 2026 fiscal year, tagged the “Budget of Resilience for Growth and Development.”
The approval was given on Friday, January 2, 2026 after deliberations at the first EXCO meeting of the year, held at the Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Port Harcourt, and presided over by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, with the Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Odu in attendance.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Economic Matters and Social Development, Prof. Peter Medee, disclosed that the council approved the aggregate budget size of N1,854,248,734,475.76 for the provision of goods and services in the state in 2026.
“We are here to say that the State Executive Council has graciously approved the aggregate sum for the provision of goods and services of Rivers State for the year 2026 in the figure of N1,854,248,734,475.76,” Prof. Medee said.
He explained that the proposed estimate was structured to reflect the development priorities of the administration and to address critical obligations of the state.
“The main thrust of the year 2026 proposed estimate has been fashioned to enable the State accomplish and conclude ongoing projects as well as clear our outstanding obligations in key critical sectors,” he stated.
According to him, priority areas in the 2026 budget include infrastructure, health, education, agriculture, human capacity development, youth empowerment, culture, tourism, and information and communications technology.
Prof. Medee also announced that the council approved the theme of the 2026 budget, noting that it aligns with the administration’s focus on recovery and consolidation.
“It is against this backdrop that the State Executive Council has respectfully approved and considered that the budget theme for 2026 is the Budget of Resilience for Growth and Development,” he said.
“This is because, in spite of many challenges, the State Government has remained resilient, dogged and focused, and achieving key targets as part of our commitment to the people of Rivers State,” he added.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communications, Dr. Honour Sirawoo, said the council subjected the budget proposal to detailed scrutiny before arriving at the approved figure.
“As you are aware, we just finished our EXCO meeting which basically looked at the proposal for the 2026 budget,” he said.
He noted that the administration was deliberate in determining what he described as a robust budget size.
“The Governor Siminalayi Fubara administration is determined to bridge the lost grounds. Upon that reason, a very robust budget figure has been arrived at after very conscious deliberations to put our State where it needs to be,” Dr. Sirawoo said.
According to him, the government’s approach to budgeting is aimed at ensuring value-for-money spending and improving the overall well-being of the people of Rivers State.
Also, the Special Adviser on Finance, Barr. Emmanuel Frank Fubara was part of the briefing.
